A municipal master plan will be created to serve as the Town’s primary policy statement on future development in Acushnet. The process will involve the assessment of current trends relative to the environment, natural and cultural resources, population, demographics, housing stock and economic opportunity. The legal basis for master planning in Massachusetts comes from Chapter 41, Section 81D of the General Laws of Massachusetts. This act encourages Planning Boards to create Master Plans to “provide a basis for decision making regarding the long term physical development of the Municipality.”

Open space is one of the defining characteristics of Acushnet. Long term preservation of these places for future generations will be a focus of the Master Plan

The municipal master plan will be divided into the nine traditional components:

• Goals and Policies
• Land Use
• Housing
• Economic Development
• Natural and Cultural Resources
• Open Space and Recreation
• Public Facilities and Services
• Transportation
• Implementation

These master plan elements are further defined below:

Goals and Policies – A statement will be developed which identifies the goals and policies of the municipality for its future growth and development. An interactive public process will be utilized to determine Acushnet’s community values, goals and identify patterns of development which will be consistent with these goals.

Land Use – A plan will be developed to identify present land use and designate proposed distribution, location and inter-relationship of public and private land uses. This element will relate the proposed standards of population density and building intensity to the capacity of land available or planned facilities and services.

Housing – This master plan element identifies and analyzes existing and forecasted housing needs and objectives including programs for the preservation, improvement and development of housing. This element will identify policies and strategies to provide a balance of local housing opportunities for all citizens.

Economic Development – This element will identify and develop policies and strategies for the expansion or stabilization of Acushnet’s economic base and the promotion of employment opportunities.

Strategies for meeting Acushnet’s affordable and senior housing requirements will be addressed in the Master Plan.

Natural and Cultural Resources – The natural and cultural resources element provides an inventory of the significant natural, cultural and historic resources within Acushnet. Policies and strategies for the protection and management of such areas will be identified or developed.

Open Space and Recreation – This master plan element provides an inventory of recreational and open space areas of the municipality. Policies and strategies for the protection and management of these resources will be identified or developed.

Public Facilities and Services – The existing and forecasted needs for public facilities and services is identified in this element. This includes, but is not limited to examination of: schools, libraries, public works buildings, council on aging, police, fire and EMS facilities.

Acushnet is blessed with a wealth of significant natural and cultural assets. Protection and preservation of these resources is a key element of the Master Plan.

Transportation – The transportation (or “circulation”) element will develop an inventory of existing and proposed transportation systems. This element will examine multiple modes of transportation including: pedestrian, bicycle, automobile, truck and public transit.

Implementation – The implementation program defines schedules and action plans necessary to achieve the objectives for each element of the master plan. Costs (and revenues if applicable) associated with the accomplishment of master plan objectives will also be developed in the form of a summary capital expenditure program. This element will also specify the process by which Acushnet’s regulatory structure will be amended so as to be consistent with the master plan.

Improving the Town’s transportation infrastructure is paramount in the face of growing population. Acushnet must also plan for an evolution of public transportation services.

The effort required to complete the municipal master plan will include extensive research/data collection, coordination with Local, Regional and State agency officials, document preparation, public workshops and periodic status briefings with the Planning Board, Board of Selectmen and Town Officials.

The municipal master plan will be created in two distinct phases. The first phase reflects Acushnet’s need to prepare an overall strategic planning framework while simultaneously addressing an immediate need to formalize policy on Land Use and Housing. Three tasks will be accomplished in this phase:

1. Prepare the Goals and Policies element. This effort will include:
   
   

   1. Conduct a Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat (SWOT) public workshop to identify the primary issues, which the municipal master plan should address (within the context of traditional master plan elements).

   2. Conduct a comprehensive visioning process to establish a community vision with specific goals for each of the traditional master plan elements.

   
   

2. Develop the Land Use element of the master plan.
   
   

3. Develop the Housing element of the master plan.

This approach will enable an initial “global view” of the Town’s challenges and opportunities and establish a single vision for Acushnet’s future. The goals for each of the master plan elements will clarify how the Town intends to achieve its vision and demonstrate linkages between these elements. This step is necessary to proceed toward full development (i.e., establish specific objectives, timeframes, implementation action plans, etc.) of each master plan element. Due to increasing land development pressure, the Town’s leadership (i.e., Selectmen and Planning Board) has stated an urgent need to complete the Land Use and Housing Components of the municipal master plan. Finalization of these two elements will mark the completion of the first phase of this project

The second phase will be the completion of the remaining elements of the municipal master plan (i.e., economic development, natural and cultural resources, etc.).

Public Process

The Master Planning process is an open process. Meetings and workshops are open to the public and will be posted through the normal meeting notification process and on the Town web site. Many of the meetings will be televised.

Acushnet citizens are encouraged to attend meetings or volunteer to serve on a variety of committees.

Point of Contact

Development of the Master Plan falls under the jurisdiction of the Acushnet Planning Commission. Mr. Henry Young is leading the effort on behalf of the Planning Commission. Contact information is provided below:

Mr. Henry Young
Special Projects Manager
Town of Acushnet
508-998-0200

Additionally, the Acushnet Planning Commission appoints chairpersons for seven Master Plan Subcommittees. The Chairperson is responsible for coordinating the efforts of a team of citizens in the development of each Master Plan element. The Chairperson is a member of the Master Plan Steering Committee which is responsible for overall coordination of the Master Plan’s development. The following appointments have been made:

• Land Use Subcommittee: Marc Cenerizio
  

• Housing Subcommittee: Jose Costello
  

• Economic Development Subcommittee: Ed Isaac
  

• Natural and Cultural Resources Subcommittee: Laurell Farinon
  

• Open Space and Recreation Subcommittee: Joyce Reynolds
  

• Public Facilities and Services Subcommittee: Jo-Ann Bertrand
  

• Transportation Subcommittee: Mark White

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